Although Chinese audience might have become tired of the
stereotyped talent shows that have been flooding the TV scene in
recent years, a new one produced by Zhejiang Satellite TV station
will soon debut in 2008, a show to cast the TV remake of
Journey to the West, this time directed by Zhang
Jizhong.
An official with the station told Metro Express newspaper
on Friday that the show has just been approved by the national
authorities to be aired after the Spring Festival on late nights.
It will be the first of its kind to appear on the small screen in
2008.
In the first round of competition, which will be held in ten
cities across the country, anyone interested can apply for any role
he likes. But the runoff will focus on the selection of the four
main characters: Tang Dynasty (618-907) Buddhist monk Xuanzang, a
real historical person, and his three legendary disciples, the
Monkey King, the Pig and Friar Sand.
Director Zhang Jizhong will be the chief judge for the
competition.
Journey to the West, or Monkey King, is a
classical Chinese novel written by Wu Cheng'en during the Ming
Dynasty in the 16th Century. The novel tells of the adventure of
Xuanzang and his disciples as they traveled west in search of
Buddhist texts.
The story was adapted into TV series in 1983 by China's largest
national TV network, China Central Television. The drama became an
immediate smash hit and has been broadcasted every year in the past
quarter of a century.
(CRI.cn, November 10, 2007)